Dik-dik antelope vs. capture team...
Yesterday you could see that we immobilized some dik-dik antelopes. One of them gave us us quite a challenge - as you can see in the video! Thankfully, the Simon Wildlife Services team came to the rescue, turning the whole situation into funny video!
So what happened here? This dik-dik was darted, but still quite awake. Darting the dik-dik a second time, would mean additional stress due to being darted again, and it could be risky for the dik-dik... At that stage, we didnβt know how much of the drugs were injected, so a second full dart could have led to an overdose. Dik-diks are sensitive to the drugs, so the best approach was to catch it. Once we had hands-on, it turned out that the dart only injected half of the immobilization drugs...
Once caught, we gave the dik-dik an antidote and quickly placed it in a dark transport box. The dik-diks that were captured all went to a another farm.
#dikdiks #dikdik #vetmedlife #africanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #veterinario #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlife #wildlifevet #africa #WildlifeVetsNamibia #Namibia
Rabies dart vaccination - Namibia
π¦ππππ π£ππ βπππππ€ π»ππͺ
In spite of rabies being a well-known and much researched disease, many uncertainties exist around the peculiar, seemingly Namibia-specific, manifestation of rabies which decimates our kudu and eland populations country wide. Dart vaccination (from the helicopter) of kudus and eland against rabies is an effective option and is feasible in game fenced areas. Over the past few years we have done this repeatedly on a number of game farms both during and following an outbreak. In all cases the farmers reported the outbreak stopped within 10-14 days of vaccination. Those farms where we prophylactically vaccinate annually or biannually now support a thriving kudu population.
If you consider to vaccinate your kudu/eland population, ask neighbouring farms if they want to join. The more people join in, the cheaper the costs per animal for all. Feel free to contact us about vaccinating in your area.
For more information about rabies, visit https://wildlifevetsnamibia.com/documentation/articles
Simon Wildlife Services #WildlifeVetsNamibia #rabies #antirabies #worldrabiesday #kudu #eland #vaccination #Namibia #africa #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #wildlifeveterinarian
Giraffe darting from the helicopter
π¦ππ― Giraffe darting from the helicopter!
In this short video clip you see a giraffe being darted from the helicopter. In the dart are potent immobilizing drugs. We use these potent drugs to safely capture and handle wild animals for various purposes such as research, medical treatment and relocation. In this case, this giraffe, together with several others, were fitted with tracking devices for a research project.
π€― Fun fact... did you know it is actually quite easy to hit the tail of a giraffe while it is running, instead of it's bum... π«£π
#giraffe #helicopter #vetmedlife #africanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #veterinario #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #wildlife #africa #WildlifeVetsNamibia #Namibia
Impala release in Angola
π³π¦π¦ππ¦π΄ Did you see our post of yesterday where impalas were captured to be translocated to a reserve in Angola? Here is one of the release videos!
The release is always the best moment of any translocation! Translocations of wildlife is important for several reasons. First of all, Namibia is in a terrible drought situation. Moving animals to a better area is one strategy to prevent animals dying off from starvation and putting too much pressure on the already sparse vegetation. But then again, it is not always so easy to find suitable habitats for animals, especially for bigger species such as elephants.
In some areas, species have become extinct. By reintroducing species to their natural habitats, translocations can help restore ecological balance and improve biodiversity. Also, moving animals can boost existing populations in numbers, and in genetic diversity. Genetic diversity is again very important for the long-term survival of a species.
We like to thank the Angolans for for releasing these impalas onto their reserve! We also thank our right-hand guys Frederick and Romario, and of course we thank all others involved for making this translocation happen! Muito obrigado!
#angola #impala #reintroduction #vetmedlife #africanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #veterinario #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #wildlife #africa #WildlifeVetsNamibia #Namibia
Brown Hyena Waking Up
Brown hyenas have a bit of a habit to pretend they are still fully asleep after the immobilization, but they are not... From snoozing to running off like a rocket in seconds!π΄ππ
This brown hyena was immobilized so researchers could put a telemetry collar on. Once everything was done, we reversed the brown hyena with antidote. Then we waited... and waited... Since the hyena took his time, we decided to give it some more antidote. As we came close, the brown hyena was actually just snoozing, and took off once we came too close!
ps: no GoPro's were harmed in the video!
#GoPro #GoProAwards #POV #hyena #hyaena #brownhyena #vetmedlife #africanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #veterinario #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #wildlife #africa #WildlifeVetsNamibia #Namibia
ππ΄ Snoring like... an elephant?!
ππ΄ Snoring like... an elephant?!
Elephants are primarily nasal breathers, which means they rather breath through their noses, than through their mouth. When we immobilize an elephant, it is therefore important we secure the trunk, if the elephant goes down and falls on the trunk, it is an absolute emergency getting the trunk free! The trunk is an impressive piece of equipment, which aids in breathing, smelling, touching, making sounds, snorkling and more!
Once the elephant is down, we straighten the trunk, and put a little stick between the trunk tips to make sure the airway stays open.
This matriarch got a satellite collar, so from now on the position of the herd can be monitored. Once the collar was fitted, she was reversed with an antidote, and up within a few minutes.
For more info on the inside of the elephant's trunk, read our February 2020 newsletter here:https://wildlifevetsnamibia.com/onewebmedia/2020-02%20Newsletter%20Wildlife%20Vets%20Namibia%20-%20February.pdf
#elephant #snoring #vetmedlife #africanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinario #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #wildlife #africa #WildlifeVetsNamibia #Namibia
Translocating wildlife
Last week we were busy... We dart immobilized and loaded 83 animals in just 1.5 days! Sables, impalas, kudus, lechwes and wildebeest were all moved to different farms. We darted the animals together with Simon Wildlife Services, and the animals were picked up in the field and driven to the specialized wildlife trucks. Once in the truck, the animals were checked, injected with vitamins, the horns were measured and when needed the hooves were trimmed. Very important, all animals also received a long-acting tranquilizer, which keeps them calm during the road trip, and during the initial adaptation phase on the new farm.
The reason for this big move is however a sad one. Namibia is one of the driest countries south of the Sahara, and this farm has been struggling with a terrible drought for many years now. Due to the drought there is also a dramatic reduction in feed production in Namibia. On top of that, we cannot import food from South-Africa, as the border is closed, resulting in extreme scarcity of, and high prices for animal food. Two severe droughts in a row (2019 and 2024) have a devastating effect on Namibian wildlife. We sincerely hope that the next rainy season will be one with lots of widespread rains!
#sable #impala #wildebeest #kudu #lechwe #vetmedlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #veterinario #africanwildlife #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #wildlife #africa #WildlifeVetsNamibia #Namibia
Leopard sleepy enough?!
Leopards are feisty animals, so when we dart immobilize them, we want to make sure they are sleepy enough to be handled! In the video Dr Ulf is checking how responsive this leopard female still is, by tickling her ears. You can she that she is still responding! If we would handle her at this stage, adrenaline will kick in. Adrenaline plays a crucial role in the βfight-or-flightβ response, which prepares the body for intense physical activity or stress. Adrenaline is also sort of an antidote against the immobilization drugs, so if we would handle her, chances are good that she will wake up.
So, in this case, we just stand back and wait a bit longer for the immobilizing drugs to do their work. Once she does not respond anymore to the ear tickling, we touch the inner corner of the eye, to see if she has a blink reflex (palpebral reflex). If there is no reflex, we know she is sleeping well enough.
#leopard #reflex #vetmedlife #africanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #veterinario #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #wildlife #africa #WildlifeVetsNamibia #Namibia
Black wildebeest with the munchies!
ππ½οΈπ This black wildebeest clearly got the munchies from the immobilization drugs! The wildebeest was reversed, and immediately started eating! Altough this was not the case now, sometimes we will give an animal certain drugs to stimulate appetite. For example when we translocate animals over a long distance, we like to give it a long-acting tranquilizer. Besides limiting stress, some of these tranquilizers also increases appetite. On long trips we bring good quality food, and feed the animals, so they donβt loose condition during the trip. We also like to use it in orphaned animals, to get them onto the bottle quicker.
This wildebeest was immobilized at Okambara Elephant Lodge to enable the research team from the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behaviour to put on two light weight solar-panel ear tags. These tags will record data such as the animalβs GPS position and movement. Thanks to the tagged animals, both the researchers and the game farmer will have a better idea where the animals are, how they move over the reserve, their habitat preferences etc. This Namibian project also has a strong emphasis on detecting abnormal movement patterns. When, for example, poachers enter a farm, the movement and behaviour of animals will change. This ongoing research is to test how this change in abnormal movement patterns can best be picked up from the data send out by the tags. If certain abnormal movement patterns are detected, the farmer could send out his APU-team and check what is going on.
For more information, have a look at our May-newsletter here: https://tinyurl.com/May-edition
ps. the red stripe on the bum is made by us with a marker, so the helicopter knows this animal has been darted already π
#blackwildebeest #wildebeest #munchies #yummy #research #vetmedlife #africanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #veterinario #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #wildlife #africa
Elephant waking up
In this video you see a big elephant bull waking up from the immobilization after we fitted a tracking device. The reversal drugs were injected into the ear vein, which reverses all the immobilizing drugs that are in the elephantβs βsystemβ. The first sign of the elephant waking up is a deeper and more rapid breathing. He starts moving his trunk and feet, and his ear. Then the big bull attempts to stand up, but with such a weight it takes a few tries! You see him using his trunk as a counterweight. Once up, the elephant quickly joined the herd again.
What a privilege to work with these impressive animals! A big thanks Simon Wildlife Services for the flying and keeping the herd away, and of course a a big thanks to the Okambara Elephant Lodge team!
#elephant #wakeuptime #vetmedlife #africanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #veterinario #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #wildlife #africa #WildlifeVetsNamibia #Namibia
Walking a tsessebe antelope
Work smarter, not harder π
This tsessebe was dart immobilized and brought to another area on the reserve. As you can see, we could walk with him! This is not unusual, several antelope species, such as nyalas, wildebeest and thus also tsessebe do not always become recumbent after the drugs take effect, and keep on standing. In those cases, we can often walk them to the car or trailer, instead of having to carry the animal!
#tsessebe #vetmedlife #africanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #veterinario #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #africa #WildlifeVetsNamibia #wildlife #Namibia
Brown hyena dart immobilization
In this video you can see a brown hyena that is being darted. When you look carefully, you can see that the dart makes a 'flash' when it hits the hyena. As the dart hits the animal, a small explosive at the back of the dart detonates, and the drugs are injected. This flash is a big advantage when darting during low-light conditions, as was the case here.
Normally, we prefer not to dart an animal so close to sunset, but in this case it was a wide open area so we could monitor the movements of the hyena closely.
This brown hyena was fitted with a GPS collar by the Brown Hyena Research Project, thanks for the great project!
Pneu-Dart Inc. @pneudart #PneuDartChallenge #hyena #brownhyena #vetmedlife #africanwildlife #wildlifeconservation #vetmed #veterinario #vΓ©tΓ©rinaire #veterinary #wildlifeveterinarian #wildlifemanagement #veterinaryservices #wildlifevet #wildlife #africa #WildlifeVetsNamibia #Namibia
